This thesis is an examination of an individual, long-term foster home which served a large child placement agency until a few years ago. The foster home was regarded by agency workers as an eminently successful one, both quantitatively and qualitatively particularly with adolescent boys, who are placement problems for any child-placing agency. The study was undertaken as an investigation into the reasons for the foster home's success with adolescent boys, in order to provide a point of departure for more controlled scientific study in the future. The study was done at the Vancouver Children's Aid Society, one of several agencies of its kind in Canada which is responsible for foster home and other forms of placement planning for many children who come into its care, and for the administration of various statutes related to the protection of children. The study includes: 1. An account of the historical development of foster home placement practice, an account of the needs and problems of children (with particular reference to those who require foster home care), and a description of the agency in which the study took place; 2. A survey of the children placed la the foster home and a qualitative study of the foster home, focussing on the twenty-one-year period of its active service to the agency; 3. An examination of the agency's case records of the foster children, their own families, and the foster family. Additional material for the study was obtained from Interviews with the foster mother, her own two children, and four of her former foster children. This study sought to examine the foster home in order to provide some formulation of the dynamics of a good foster home, particularly for adolescent boys. The findings suggest a number of important factors to be sought in any such foster home, including steady and consistent affection for all children, foster and own, an assumption of adult humility, interest, responsibility and leadership on the part of the foster parents, and the Importance of strong community roots for the foster home. These findings, in addition to having implications for future research, may provide a basis for a further refinement of diagnostic efficiency in the agency's future foster home placement programs. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

Issues in foster home recruitment and maintenance in a child-placing agency are considered in this thesis. References are made to literature about the historical development of the foster home method of child care and this includes the set-up of the Children's Aid Society of Vancouver. There is the recognition that foster home placement is not the only plan for each child in agency care but that it is one important answer. Placement problems are raised and discussed. Specific factors in the closing of 100 foster homes are examined and the reasons are discussed. Records of 100 closed used foster homes are studied from the standpoints of reasons for closing, motives for boarding children, length of time of service, and number of children placed. A comparison is made of the number of homes closed for avoidable and unavoidable reasons and tables are drawn up to illustrate the factors examined. Case illustrations are used from Children's Aid Society records. The study found that approximately one-third of the homes closed for practical reasons while two-thirds closed for reasons bearing further examination. The largest group closed because of non-acceptance of foster children and their families, and the next largest group closed because of the difficult behaviour of foster children. A considerable number decided they wanted children on a more permanent basis than foster home placement. Over half of the closed homes served the Agency less than one year and a little less than half boarded only one child before closing. A large group stated their original motives for boarding a child as "company for own only child." Conclusions reached about foster homes are around three basic topics; namely the recruitment of homes, the home study, and placement practices. The most important factor in getting good foster homes is a better selection of applicants in the first place. This can more easily be done by treating foster parenthood as a job with preparation and satisfying remuneration. A thorough home study can be facilitated when there is a better selection of homes from which to choose and when skilled, experienced homefinders have ample time to complete the study satisfactorily. With this groundwork good follow-up placement practices such as pre-placement conferences and casework service after placement should do much to recruit and maintain a higher standard of foster homes. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

This thesis is an examination of foster home finding methods in a large child-placing agency. The study was undertaken as an investigation into the causes of dissatisfaction and difficulties experienced by agencies in their efforts to achieve a good standard of care for their children through the medium of foster homes. It is also a consideration of the manner in which the case work approach in home finding can be brought to bear on the amelioration of these problems. The agency in which the study was done, the Children' Aid Society of Vancouver, B.C., is typical of several in this country wherein the agency is committed to planning for several hundreds of children who come into its care through the administration of the various statutes related to the protection of children. It cannot be compared to small specialized agencies giving service to a selected clientele. The study includes: 1. An account of the development of the use of foster homes in child placement, and the use of case work method in this. 2. Review of social work philosophy and how it may be applied by the administration and personnel of an agency in home finding. 3. An examination of the agency's actual case records of foster home studies. The information sought was a comprehensive knowledge of the job of home finding through professional literature and observation of practice. The findings would support the contention that professional case work disciplines could be applied with greater effort, and that there is need for more emphasis on the part which foster home finding plays in a total child care program. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

This study is concerned with the problem of multiple placement s of foster children, i. e., children who are placed in more than one foster home while they are in the care of a protective agency. Children become "wards" of such societies if there is no possibility of their leading normal, happy, and emotionally secure lives within their own homes. The agencies provide foster home care as a substitute home to give them the care they were not able to obtain in their own homes. But frequent replacement prevents many foster children from gaining security and healthy development due to lack of attachment to a family. The study shows that thirty-nine out of the fifty children in the sample were placed in more than one foster home during their period of care by a children's aid society. The average number of foster homes for the total group was 3.52 homes per child, which means that a child remained in each foster home for a period of 2.08 years, on the average. The study was based on the records of foster children from both of Vancouver's children's aid societies, the sample being selected on a one-in-four basis from all children falling within certain definitions: (l) children who had been in the care of one of the agencies at least two years; (2) children of the white race; (3) children now in the "latency" stage of development; i. e. between the ages of seven and twelve years. The material utilized includes the files kept by the agencies, regarding each individual child, his family and the foster homes. The sample was grouped into four divisions according to the number of placements the children have had. Group A with a single foster home placement only, representing the ideal in child placement; Group B with two foster home placements; Group C a clear multiple placement problem, with three or four foster home placements; and Group D the usually serious situation where a child has lived in five or more foster homes. The cases were then studied in terms of the foster homes in which the children were placed; the intelligence levels of the children; and their adjustment to the foster home program. The adjustment of the child is believed to be the crucial factor in deciding whether foster home placement has succeeded or failed. The third part of the study examines what can be done to improve the methods of placing children in foster homes in order to lessen the problem of multiple placements. There is evidence that the problem of multiple placement of foster children could be reduced by more careful preliminary observation of the child and his needs, closer assessment of foster home potentialities, better matching of the child and the foster home, professional casework service while the child is in the home, and treatment for disturbed children in homes which are especially equipped for this service. The study suggests that many children without family ties could be placed for adoption, thus attaching them to one family instead of facing the possibility of repeated replacements. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

This study is concerned with a twofold problem: the present operations of Embury House, a receiving home for children in Saskatchewan, and its desirable role in relation to the total child welfare program of services in Saskatchewan. At present Embury House lacks any suitable program to serve the needs of those children requiring institutional care. Consequently, it is not an institution with a definite purpose, but a place where dependent and neglected children in Saskatchewan are kept when there are no other services available to meet their needs. The evaluation of present operations in Embury House is based on the records of fifty children placed there during 1949-1950. These fifty children, the average monthly population of the institution, reveal a typical cross-section of the problems and needs of children kept in Embury House. Analysis showed the children fell into three groups, each needing a different type of service: (a) casework services in their own home, (b) placement in foster homes, and (c) placement in an institution. It also showed that only eighteen per cent of the total population of Embury House could profit by the services of an institution for general care, which type seemed most nearly to describe Embury House. In addition, the analysis showed that eighteen per cent of the total population required the specialized services of a study and treatment institution, fifty per cent required foster home care, and fourteen per cent required case work services in their own home. The program of services offered by Embury House during 1949-1950, was evaluated in terms of the standards for children's institutions recently constructed for the State of Washington. The program was also assessed by applying four criteria to the institutional program: (a) the social service program, (b) the physical care of the children, (c) the education and social training, and (d) the quality of the staff. This showed that the physical needs of the children and their education and social training are well served at Embury House, but there are serious lacks in the social service program and in the staff. Recent trends in professional thinking regarding the services which can or should be offered by an institution are reviewed. A definite classification is also made of children who should not receive institutional care, and of children who can be served in an institutional setting. Against this background, there is evidence that Embury House could serve more effective purposes in the child welfare program than it does at present. There are no facilities for the treatment of emotionally disturbed children in Saskatchewan, but these children tend to be placed in Embury House. It is suggested that Embury House could fulfil a necessary role as a study and treatment centre for seriously disturbed children. There are undoubtedly more children in Saskatchewan who could benefit from such a service; and it would be better to work out a foster placement and case work program for those children not suited for institutional care. Revision of the social service program, and certain changes and additions in the staff, as recommended, would modernize Embury House as a valuable study and treatment institution. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

Objective – Some of the most vulnerable children and youths in our country are those in out of home care, and these children demonstrate higher rates of psychopathology and fare more poorly in school and in social relationships than their peers. Typically, when studying at risk populations, negative outcomes are examined, thereby ignoring those who do well despite their vulnerability. These children, who demonstrate positive patterns of functioning and development despite their exposure to adversity, are considered resilient. The objective of this study was to identify factors associated with a resilient outcome among children and youths in out of home care. Method – The study sample was comprised of 417 children 10 to 15 years old in Ontario who had been removed from their homes of origin and placed in out of home care. Predictor variables were selected based on previous research findings in the area of resilient outcome. In the cross-sectional study, a series of sequential logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with a resilient outcome among children in out of home care. These children were then followed one year later. In the longitudinal study, another series of sequential logistic regression analyses were used to identify variables that were related to future resilient outcomes among the same children in out of home care. Results – The findings showed that many of the independent variables predicted resilient outcome on the different dimensions. Furthermore, overall resilient outcome was best predicted by the foster parental report of high sociability. Conclusion – The findings in the present study confirmed that there exists a subset of resilient children among children in out of home care. The findings allowed for the identification of some factors related to resilient outcome among this population. The practical implications of these findings are discussed.

This study investigated the relationship between living in a foster home and reading achievement among high school students. It involved 71 subjects living in foster and non-foster homes. Nineteen schools in Vancouver, Richmond and Surrey, British Columbia, were Included in the study. The first part of the study was concerned with the relationship between Type of Home and reading achievement, I.Q. and reading scores were obtained using the California Short-Form Test of Mental Maturity and the Reading Battery of the California Achievements Tests. Age, Sex, Grade, I.Q. and Type of Home and the interactions between Type of Home and I.Q. and between Type of Home and Sex were used as predictors in multiple regression analysis of the data obtained. The dependent variable was the grade placement of the subjects on the reading test. The results suggest that there is little relationship between Type of Home and reading achievement. However, there was a significant mean difference in I.Q. between the foster and non-foster children. The predictor variables included in the study accounted for about 75% of the variance in the dependent variable. In the second part of the study, relationship between the reading achievement of the foster children and Age of Admission to Foster Care, Length of Foster Care and the Number of Times the Children Changed Homes was investigated. The interactions between Age at First Admission and Length of Foster Care and between Socioeconomic Status of the foster parents and the Length of Stay in the Present Home were also considered. Again, multiple regressions were used to analyze the data. The results indicated that the number of times the children changed homes was more strongly related to their reading achievement than either Age at First Admission or Length of Foster Care. However, only Grade and I.Q. were found to be significantly related to the reading achievement of the children; they accounted for about 70% of the variance in the dependent variable. There were no significant interactions. It was suggested that future studies of the academic achievement of foster children should include elementary as well as high school students, both in regular and "special" classes. It was also pointed out that further research should consider not only the self-concept, school attendance and the natural home background of the foster children but also teacher expectations and the number of schools attended. Studies regarding the relationship between living in a foster home and the development of intellectual abilities were also recommended. / Arts, Faculty of / Psychology, Department of / Graduate

No description available.

Thesis (M. A. (Social Work)) -- University of Limpopo, 2020 / Foster care is the best method of alternative care for children that need care and protection. It offers children an atmosphere and environment that recognise their economic, social, educational, health and cultural needs without discrimination. The fundamental objective of foster care is to make sure children are protected and grow up in a safe and healthy environment. Notwithstanding the positive impact that comes with it, it has been confirmed worldwide that foster care suffers from serious deficiencies to an extent that the rights of children are compromised. The Department of Social Development is no exception to foster care backlogs, which result in foster care placement applications accumulating and families’ quality of life being affected and compromised. Social workers are inundated with high caseloads on a daily basis. The study employed qualitative and collective case study design. The non-probability, convenient sampling technique was followed to select twelve statutory social workers at Botlokwa Department of Social Development satellites. Out of these social workers, eight were female and four were male. Data was collected by means of literature review and semi-structured in-depth interviews guided by an interview schedule with open-ended questions. The data was analysed thematically with the help of the Nvivo programme. The study unearthed factors such as shortage of social workers, social auxiliary workers and supervisors, system deficiencies within the children’s court fraternity, insufficient tools of trade, multiple work responsibilities and lack of cooperation from clients as contributing to foster care backlogs. The findings also revealed that in order to cope with these backlogs, some social workers engage in unethical conducts such as comforting clients with lies and not attending to foster care files. Instead, they write process notes and use their own resources to execute their roles and help one another to deal with the backlogs. Therefore, it is recommended that specialisation in foster care, foster care file audit, hiring more social workers, effective working relationship between foster care stakeholders, adopting a computerised reminder system for files due for review, convenient court dates and amendment of form 30 and the advertisement of unknown fathers can be efficient measures to mitigate foster care not only at Botlokwa, but also within the Department of Social Development nationwide. The researcher therefore concludes that foster care backlogs within social work offices is real, and that to curb it requires collaborative efforts x by role players, particularly the Department of Social Development and the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development.

Denna uppsats handlar om biologiska barn och hur deras delaktighet, utifrån barnkonventionen och begreppet ”barnets bästa”, beaktas av yrkesprofessionella som handhar ärendet när deras familj åtagit sig uppdrag att vara familjehem. Syftet med vår studie är att undersöka hur socialtjänsten beaktar biologiska barns bästa vid en familjehemsplacering, utifrån biologiska barns delaktighet. Ett steg till att undersöka deras delaktighet är att ta reda på om det finns rutiner för hur yrkesprofessionella inom familjehemsvård i deras arbete gör biologiska barn i familjehem delaktiga under en familjehemsplacering. Genom en kvalitativ metod som metodval har vi med hjälp av en semistruktuerad intervju genomfört intervjuer med fyra familjehemssekreterare inom familjehemsvård på socialtjänsten samt fyra externa familjehemsutredare på uppdrag av socialtjänsten. Urvalsgruppen arbetar inom och på uppdrag av olika kommuner i Sverige och har olika års erfarenhet inom yrket. Tidigare forskning både internationellt och nationellt har bland annat studerat om placerade barns upplevelser i familjehem samt familjen som helhet i familjehem. När det gäller biologiska barn i familjehem visar det sig att det är ett ytterst begränsat forskningsområde. Resultat i studien visar att trots de yrkesverksammas olika bakgrund så beskriver majoriteten av urvalsgruppen att biologiska barns delaktighet inte har en direkt given plats i processen då rutiner för det saknas och föräldrarna förväntas förmedla vidare information till sina barn. Samtliga i urvalsgruppen ger en beskrivning av att biologiska barns delaktighet i en familjehemsplacering bör förstärkas. Det finns behov av att lyfta och tillämpa biologiska barns rätt till delaktighet vid en familjehemsplacering. Resultatet visar på att frågan är angelägen att få besvarad och behöver undersökas närmare med ytterligare forskningsstudier. / This essay is about biological children and how their participation, based on the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the concept of "the best interests of the child", is considered by professionals who handle the case when their family has undertaken the task of being a foster family. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether there are routines for how professionals in foster care units in their work make biological children in foster families involved during a family home placement. The study intends to make visible how the participation of biological children is considered at all stages of a foster care placement, i.e., from the beginning, during the time and at the end. Through a qualitative method as a method choice, we have, with the help of a semi-structured interview, conducted interviews with four foster care secretaries in family home care at the social services and four external foster care investigators on behalf of the social services. The selection group works within and on behalf of various municipalities in Sweden and has different years of experience in the profession. Previous research both internationally and nationally has, among other things, studied the experiences of placing children in foster families and the family in family homes. Regarding biological children in family homes, however, research shows that it is an extremely limited area of ​​research. Results in the study show that despite the professionals' different backgrounds, most of the sample group describes that biological children's participation does not have a directly given place in the process as routines for it are lacking and parents are expected to pass on given information to their children. A description from everyone in the selection group shows that biological children's participation in a family home placement should be strengthened. It summarizes the need to raise and apply biological children's right to participation in a family home placement. The results show that the question is important to get answered and need to be investigated further. Further research is needed to examine biological children's experience of participation and its significance.